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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. root — the cause
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. lie — to recline
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. hand — in cards
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. root — of a word
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. root — of a plant
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. hand — help
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. fork — in a road

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com